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Overview

Photos and Description of this Pézenas holiday chateau / country house

I min Walk to restaurants, studios, galleries, bars and bakeries, no car needed.

Spacious, child friendly, restaurants, studios, bars, tea and coffee shops, galleries and tourist office a step away. Large protected swimming pool, walled garden, orchard, balconies and terrace, vines and Wisteria, beams and high ceilings, many bathrooms, secure parking, peaceful place of character and perfect location in Pezenas. Home to writer and family, with fascinating photos/art on walls. Amazing range of restaurants, artist’s studios, quality food, wine, and craft shops a minute away. Extensive terrace and balconies. Pool and pond safely enclosed. Common reaction to the interior is – ‘Wow! Beautiful summer kitchen with large timber beams – opens onto large sheltered terrace where people normally eat, with palms and large pool shaped around it. Vast sitting room upstairs with large balcony and views of old town. Many bedrooms (4 en-suite, 2 with balconies + 2 more) on ground/1st/2nd floors. A Memorable Holiday. STOP PRESS. French Tourist Office just rated us ***** top five star

Some comments from past guests from our previous website: Mary and friends from Oxford: 'Pezenas is wonderful, and to step out and get to everything in a minute was perfect. The pool, terrace, balcony and garden were really nice, so we spent much of our time there, but it was good to have such a great choice of restaurants to go to as well.' Sergei from Moscow: 'Normally we try different places, but here we come back.' Stephanie from Canada: 'What a lovely home you have! Loved all the photos and art on the walls, and Pezenas is beautiful with really friendly people.' Kennedy group from London: 'The kids had a great time, and the gardien was so helpful to us. We were a big group but your house has so many different areas.' Xavier et al from Paris: 'The apricots and peaches in your garden were delicious, and now I see why Pezenas is so well known here in France.' More photos on our picasa site - just search under Alaric Wyatt in google.

What is so special about Pezenas?: Pezenas is famous because it is the town of Moliere, is very old, and has a splendid old quarter (just a few steps from the house). Many artists have their studios and galleries here, and the town is amazingly active in putting on events and attractions from the past, with sword fights, music, food festivals, antique bazaars, ballads and fireworks to name just a few. It has a large and colourful Saturday market, and in summer, the many little shops in the maze of alleys in the old quarter stay open till midnight during the 'nocturnes'. There are nearly 40 restaurants to choose from, all nearby. The tourist office is 1 minute from our house, is excellent, and their guided tour reveals many amazing buildings. All around Pezenas are famous vineyards, such as those of Faugeres, Corbieres and PicPoul, which you can visit. Pezenas is also home to world famous climber Alain Robert (Spiderman), who climbs the worlds highest buildings - he is often around in the bars and is very friendly.

About Alaric and Katia

We have four lively children who just love this house, garden and town, and every time we go back, they all cry out how much they want to live there. The pool and pond are an endless source of joy and fascination to them, and they love being able to just walk out into the centre of the town for an ice cream or to play football with the local kids, all on their own. It's an amazing place altogether, and it has certainly changed our lives, giving us loads of wonderful memories of meals and festivals (Pezenas is strong on such things) and visits around all the beaches and gorges and villages, or just chatting and sipping drinks in the lower garden amongst all the fruit trees and flowers. London, where we live, seems a very long way away when we are in Pezenas, and I think to our family, it is our house down there that is the more real of the two.

Alaric and Katia purchased this chateau / country house in 2000

Why Alaric and Katia chose Beziers area

I was told by all the estate agents in Pezenas that properties with all the features on my Must Have List did not exist in this town. They were all amused at my attempts to find such a place. Central, large, garden, swimming pool, parking, privacy, and quiet were the features on my list. A month later, by chance, I found one of the only cases that satisfied this list, and it had even more to it than that. What could I do? I bought it before all the estate agents could get their hands on it and charge 6% fees, and never looked back.

What makes this chateau / country house unique

No need at all for a car. Total proximity to all that matters, but it's like being in a country house somewhere, far from the crowds. Well, as they say, location, location, location.

Guestbook comments from the owner

We have loads of comments from past guests, but not via holiday rentals as we have only just started using them...

Owner's Response: Always nice to get such a good review from our French visitors, given that they take a lot of the attractions (that we foreigners find colourful and exciting) entirely and justifiably for granted. I remember they were amazed at how well equipped our kitchen is - typical French I guess! They told me they spent most of their time just staying at the house and wandering around Pezenas, which is what a surprising number of our guests seem to do when they get here. So we are glad to meet that challenge with success.

Our lovely visit to Pezenas

This house was so nice that we spent most of our time in the garden and downstairs in the amazing summer kitchen. But the proximity of just about everything we needed in Pezenas was really great, and it was lovely not to have to bother with the car at all. Loads to see in Pezenas by the way, and brilliant for shopping and restaurants too.Though we did go and see some of the spectacular places Mr Wyatt told us about - he was really helpful and laid back about things generally, especially when we broke a window by mistake. We were only there a week, but it seemed like two, and we have great memories and photos of Pezenas and the house to remind us of what was a really wonderful and healing holiday.

Review Submitted: Jul 4, 2016

Date of Stay: Jun 2016

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Appreciate very much having the review in English, given that this group was from Venezuela! Their children loved feeding the koi carp every morning (and probably afternoon too given the amount those fish must have eaten), and now that we are here ourselves, I must say they have all grown into an extremely impressive shoal of really beautiful fish. Found several green frogs on the lily pads in classic pose as well. Anyway, glad they liked Pezenas so much - everybody does I know, but it is important to realise that the town is a huge attraction to our guests, which is why we get returns in a market where usually people choose different places year by year.

Great location and perfect for two or more families to holiday together

Lovely big kitchen with everything you could need in it and a good large terrace. Alaric and Katia were very helpful in advance of our trip and everything worked well. Pezenas is the most lovely town.

Review Submitted: Jun 2, 2016

Date of Stay: May 2016

Source: VRBO, from HomeAway

Owner's Response: We are delighted you had such a good time, and appreciate your telephoning us to tell us how well everything went too. All feedback is a bonus, and especially when it is so good. And as we agreed, it will be nice to see you here again. Alaric and Katia.

wonderful house, wonderful town

The house is beautiful, spacious and comfortable. The owner is gracious and responsive. The town of Pezenas is delightful. In short, our group of older adults could not have been happier with our stay in Maison Alaric. We enjoyed convivial meals in the large friendly kitchen, wine and nibbles on the patio by the pool in the evenings, the occasional venture into the pool itself. Yes, even mid- to late-September! Oh -- and we partook of figs, apples and grapes from the garden. We also loved wandering around the town, exploring its historic buildings, shops and restaurants, practicing our French language skills, which range from barely existent to sort-of-competent-but-still-clearly-not-French. Pretty perfect, all in all!

Review Submitted: Sep 30, 2014

Date of Stay: Sep 2014

Source: HomeAway

Owner's Response: Good reviews from Americans are particularly welcome. Why? Well, quite frankly, people from North America are used to a high level and quality of life, and are less easy to please as a rule. So when they are as happy as this group obviously is, we can relax a little, knowing that the house and location really is worth the five stars the Tourist Office have given us. But we still improve year on year, a little bit here and a little bit there, because the house is very important to us as a family - we lived there for quite a few years ourselves. So there it is. Another great review, but we still want to know how to improve things, because that's how things get better and better.

Map

Nearest Beach

14
Miles

Meze, easy to get to even in High Summer

Car: recommended

Beziers Airport (called Vias) We now have a shuttle bus (v cheap) from the Ryanair Bezier airport that goes to Agde and Beziers to get a hire car or bus to Pezenas. Timed to the flights too. So really no car needed....to get here, and particularly, when you are actually staying here.

Otherwise, our nearest airport is Montpellier: a 40 minute and 70 euro taxi drive from Pezenas. We are an hour from the walled city of Carcassonne, and only 35 minutes to wild flamingoes, 20 minutes to Meze beach, with its seahorses and fishing harbour, 40 minutes to Heric Gorge. Your house is right in the centre of Pezenas. Other major attractions within easy reach are Sete and Agde on the coast, with their beaches and harbours, and the local Dinosaur park as well as water parks, aquariums and seaside amusements. There is a huge amount to see and do within very easy reach, and the tourist office of Pezenas is 2 mins walk away....

Other Activities: Great shopping, especially for presents and clothes.

Notes: Rates are based on 9 guests; add A$17 per night, per additional guest

XMAS/NEW YEAR

19 Dec 2016 -
8 Jan 2017
Changeover Day: Saturday

6 night minimum stay

A$482

From

A$491

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$3,299

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$24 per night, per additional guest

Early Spring 2017

9 Jan 2017 -
24 Mar 2017

4 night minimum stay

A$372

From

A$406

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$2,369

Notes: Rates are based on 9 guests; add A$20 per night, per additional guest

SPRING

25 Mar 2017 -
5 May 2017

4 night minimum stay

A$355

From

A$389

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$2,504

Notes: Rates are based on 7 guests; add A$27 per night, per additional guest

EARLY SUMMER

6 May 2017 -
2 Jun 2017

5 night minimum stay

A$423

From

A$465

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$2,961

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$25 per night, per additional guest

SUMMER

3 Jun 2017 -
30 Jun 2017

5 night minimum stay

A$533

From

A$592

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$3,722

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$27 per night, per additional guest

HIGH SUMMER 2017

1 Jul 2017 -
1 Sep 2017
Changeover Day: Saturday

7 night minimum stay

A$5,414

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$25 per night, per additional guest

LATE SUMMER

2 Sep 2017 -
28 Oct 2017

5 night minimum stay

A$482

From

A$550

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$3,350

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$25 per night, per additional guest

'WINTER' 1

29 Oct 2017 -
24 Nov 2017

4 night minimum stay

A$220

From

A$254

Fri,Sat,Sun

A$1,523

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$20 per night, per additional guest

'WINTER' 2

25 Nov 2017 -
16 Dec 2017

4 night minimum stay

A$211

From

A$262

Thu,Fri,Sat,Sun

A$1,438

Notes: Rates are based on 8 guests; add A$24 per night, per additional guest

Additional information about rental rates

Refundable Damage Deposit

A$1,269

Pet Fee

A$254

Damage deposit to be arranged and paid 4 weeks before stay please. Varies according to size of group, presence of pets etc.
Cleaning bill is £90 to be paid in cash to the housekeeper, (large groups pay £120). towels extra on request, to be arranged with owner.
GROUPS LARGER THAN 8 PAY AN EXTRA PER PERSON CHARGE remember. Discounts are possible… gas/electric 0.35 euro / KwH, with 20KwH free/wk for elec.

So we have 4 rooms with double beds, and 4 rooms with 2 singles, and then 3 lots of bunk beds. Outside the summer season, a charge is levied for the cleaning of linen, and the gas central heating - if it is required... CLEAN LINEN is supplied at the start of your stay, but if you want it to be changed every week - for those who stay 2 weeks or more - then please ask our garden, and pay him 3 euros per bed place (e.g 6 euros for a double bed) for new pillow cases and under sheet, and 2 euros per quilt place (4 euros for a double quilt). Alternatively, you are most welcome to wash and dry them yourself - washer provided. TOWELS can be provided - Large Towels are 2 euros per week/fortnight, and small 1 euro per week/fortnight. If you wish clean towels after first week, then it is the same cost for the second week, and of course, you are welcome to clean them yourselves in the washing machine to avoid that cost.

Entertainment:

Audio Tape Player

Books

books - kids

CD Player

DVD Player

Games ...

Ping Pong Table

Radio

Satellite / Cable

Stereo

Television

Toys

video player

Outside:

Balcony ...

Child's Swing

Deck / Patio ...

Deck Furniture

Kayak / Canoe ...

Lawn / Garden ...

Outdoor Furniture

Outdoor Grill ...

Veranda / Loggia ...

Porch Furniture

Tennis ...

Terrace

Yard

14 garden chairs

4 beach chairs

Suitability:

Events Allowed

children welcome

pets considered

suitable for elderly or infirm

wheelchair accessible ...

Pool / Spa:

Outdoor Pool

Private Pool ...

Attractions:

arboretum

bay

botanical garden

caves

churches

cinemas

forests

library

live theatre

marina

museums

naturist beach

playground

pond

recreation centre

restaurants

ruins

theme parks

water parks

waterfalls

winery tours

Leisure Activities:

beachcombing

bird watching

eco tourism

horse riding

paddle boating

scenic drives

sight seeing

walking

Local Services & Businesses:

ATM/bank

Babysitter

fitness centre

groceries

hospital

laundrette - serviced

massage therapist

medical services

Sports & Adventure Activities:

cycling

deepsea fishing

equestrian events

fishing

fly fishing

freshwater fishing

golf

hiking

hunting

jet skiing

mountain biking

mountain climbing

mountaineering

rafting

roller blading

sailing

diving

snorkelling

bay fishing

caving

swimming

tennis

water skiing

water tubing

whitewater rafting

wind-surfing

Notes:

The job of the housekeeper, who lives out, is to clean the pool at least once a week. You have an allowance of 20 Kwatt hours per week included in the rent, and thereafter it costs 0.3 euro per Kwatt hour. Gas has no allowance, and is the same price. The logic is not to make money, but to save energy. For example our chandelier has about 30 bulbs and this discourages guests from leaving it on all night....